Product Development Scientist

About the Opportunity

A global food manufacturing organization is seeking a highly motivated Product Development Scientist to join its Innovation & Technology team. This role offers the opportunity to help shape the future of a growing portfolio of consumer food brands by developing breakthrough products, advancing process technologies, and bringing innovative concepts from ideation through commercialization.

Operating in highly competitive and rapidly evolving markets, the organization is committed to delivering meaningful innovation, superior product quality, sustainability improvements, and long-term profitable growth. The successful candidate will play a key role in transforming ideas into scalable products while collaborating across research and development, engineering, marketing, operations, procurement, quality, and external partners.

This position is ideal for an individual with a strong scientific foundation, hands-on food product development experience, and the ability to work effectively in cross-functional and multicultural environments. The role requires a blend of creativity, technical expertise, analytical thinking, and practical execution to support ambitious innovation and product transformation initiatives.

Position Summary

The Product Development Scientist will support the development of new products from early-stage concepts through prototype creation, pilot testing, and commercial-scale production. Working closely with innovation leaders and technical teams, this individual will contribute to the execution of strategic innovation roadmaps while helping solve complex technical challenges related to ingredients, processes, manufacturing, quality, and product performance.

The role will involve extensive collaboration with both internal stakeholders and external suppliers to identify emerging technologies, evaluate new materials and ingredients, and develop innovative solutions that align with business objectives. The successful candidate will help ensure that product designs meet quality, cost, performance, timing, sustainability, and scalability requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the development of new products and product concepts from idea generation through commercialization.
• Convert technical concepts into viable product solutions and manufacturing-ready designs.
• Develop bench samples, prototypes, and proof-of-concept products for evaluation.
• Plan, execute, and analyze laboratory, pilot plant, and manufacturing trials.
• Support process innovation initiatives focused on improving scalability, efficiency, quality, and speed to market.
• Identify and evaluate emerging ingredient technologies, processing methods, and external innovation opportunities.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to develop new manufacturing approaches and scalable production platforms.
• Apply scientific principles, technical knowledge, and data analysis to make informed product and process recommendations.
• Conduct ingredient and finished product evaluations using analytical techniques such as texture analysis, rheology, and other product characterization methods.
• Analyze experimental and production data to identify trends, opportunities, and solutions to technical challenges.
• Partner with suppliers and external organizations to assess new technologies, materials, and innovations that support business goals.
• Work alongside cross-functional teams to resolve formulation, process, quality, and manufacturing issues.
• Support portfolio transformation initiatives focused on health, wellness, sustainability, and product improvement.
• Contribute to productivity and cost optimization projects through reformulation and process improvements.
• Ensure innovation projects remain aligned with established budgets, timelines, and project objectives.
• Assist with technical documentation, product specifications, risk assessments, and development records.
• Support stage-gate development processes and ensure completion of all required project deliverables.
• Present technical findings, product samples, and recommendations to stakeholders across the organization.
• Maintain high standards for food safety, quality, hygiene, and regulatory compliance throughout all development activities.
• Facilitate effective knowledge transfer and project handoff to regional or commercialization teams following successful product development.

Strategic Focus Areas

The successful candidate will contribute to several key areas that support long-term business growth, including:

• New product innovation and breakthrough product development
• Technology platform creation and process advancement
• Product quality enhancement and continuous improvement
• Sustainability initiatives and environmentally responsible solutions
• Health and wellness-focused portfolio transformation
• Manufacturing productivity and cost optimization
• Supplier collaboration and external innovation partnerships
• Development of scalable technologies and future product pipelines

Qualifications

• Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Material Science, or a related technical field.
• Experience in food product development, research and development, process engineering, or innovation-focused roles.
• Strong understanding of product formulation, ingredient functionality, processing technologies, and commercialization.
• Experience designing and executing laboratory studies, pilot trials, and manufacturing validations.
• Ability to interpret technical data and translate findings into practical recommendations.
• Knowledge of food safety, quality systems, GMP requirements, and product development best practices.
• Strong project management, communication, and organizational skills.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt to evolving project needs.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and a passion for innovation.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role will be measured by the ability to develop innovative products that meet consumer needs, solve technical challenges efficiently, support sustainable business growth, and successfully transition concepts into commercially viable products. The successful candidate will combine scientific expertise with collaborative leadership to help drive product innovation, process excellence, and long-term competitive advantage within a dynamic global food manufacturing organization.